§ MR. S. YOUNG (Cavan, E.)In the absence of the hon. Member for the Connemara Division of Galway, Mr. W. O'MALLEY, I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Postmaster General, whether the Post Office authorities will establish a delivery of letters to Carna, Connemara, County Galway, on Sundays?
§ MR. HANBURYThe establishment of Sunday posts in the rural districts depends upon the fulfilment of two conditions: First, that there is revenue sufficient to justify the cost of the additional day's service; and, secondly, that the Sunday service is desired by persons receiving not less than two-thirds of the correspondence for the district affected. Inquiry shall be made whether the amount of correspondence for Carna is sufficient to fulfil the first of these conditions. If it should prove sufficient, a communication shall be made to the hon. Member, so that the views of the inhabitants on the second pact may be ascertained.
§ MR. S. YOUNGIn the absence of Mr. W. O'MALLEY, I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Postmaster General, whether the Post Office authorities will extend telegraphic communication from Spiddle, County Galway, to Carna, Connemara, county Galway, in view of the fact that a steamer calls there once a week from Galway, and that serious inconvenience frequently arises when through any cause the steamer fails to come on the appointed day, and when such inconvenience would be obviated if telegraphic communication existed?
§ MR. HANBURYThe Postmaster General will be glad to have inquiry made, and will communicate the result to the hon. Member in due course.
§ MR. S. YOUNGin the absence of Mr. W. O'MALLEY, I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Postmaster General, whether the Post Office authorities will establish a post office at Moyrus, Connemara, County Galway, the Postmaster General having already sanctioned a delivery of letters three times a week to that village, but in the absence of an office where letters could be left till called for, such deliveries are of little practical value?
§ MR. HANBURYThe establishment of a post to Moyrus three days a week was attended with as large an additional outlay as the limited amount of correspondence warranted, and there are no grounds on which the Postmaster General could sanction further outlay with a view to establishing a post office there also.
MR. F. A. O'KEEFFEI beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Postmaster General, if his attention has been drawn to the complaints by the citizens of Limerick, and expressed in the Cork Herald of 24th December last, to the inadequate postal arrangements in Limerick last Christmas; whether he is aware that on 23rd December last there was no delivery by the 7.10 evening mail, and same occurred on 24th December, and that on Christmas Day in Limerick there was no morning or noon delivery of letters; whether the postmen during those days worked 18 or 20 hours' continuous labour, the sorters being sent away to save expense; and, whether, by the employment of additional hands in future, and payment of overtime, provision will be made to prevent any future congestion and disarrangement at critical occasions in the Limerick postal exigencies?
§ MR. HANBURYThe Postmaster General will have inquiry made into these allegations and communicate the result to the hon. Member.